minor scale

[T1mothy]

you know major scales are just easy. First second third fourth fifth sixth seventh. But how do I detect seventh note of G minor when there are 3 sorts of minor scales that vary in the sixth and seventh note? (natural, harmonic, melodic)

Also what is the difference between major 7th, minor 7th and 7th chord?

Thank you
Timothy

[stanron]

Originally Posted by T1mothy

But how do I detect seventh note of G minor when there are 3 sorts of minor scales that vary in the sixth and seventh note? (natural, harmonic, melodic)

In what piece of music? If you are making it up you decide. If you are notating a tune you know use the correct key signature and use your ears. If the seventh note is sharpened each time it's used, and the 6th note isn't, it's the harmonic minor. If the sixth and seventh notes are sharpened on ascending passages but not on descending, it's melodic minor and if there are no accidentals it's the natural minor scale.

Originally Posted by T1mothy

Also what is the difference between major 7th, minor 7th and 7th chord?

A major 7th chord is notes one, three, five and seven of the major scale. A minor 7nth chord is notes one, three, five and seven of a natural minor scale and a seventh chord (or a flattened 7th or dominant 7th) is notes one, three, five and the flattened seventh of the major scale.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by T1mothy

you know major scales are just easy. First second third fourth fifth sixth seventh. But how do I detect seventh note of G minor when there are 3 sorts of minor scales that vary in the sixth and seventh note? (natural, harmonic, melodic)

Natural minor is the basic scale.
"Harmonic" minor is connected with the major V chord, providing a "leading tone" up to the tonic. (And also the dim7 "leading tone chord".)
"Melodic minor" is the practice of also raising the 6th when ascending to the root, to avoid the awkward (melodic) jump from b6 to maj7.
There are no hard and fast rules here, just "common practices".

Originally Posted by T1mothy

Also what is the difference between major 7th, minor 7th and 7th chord?

There are six basic types of 7th chord:

1. major triad with minor 7th = "7", aka dominant 7th = V in major and minor keys (commonest type)
2. major triad with major 7th = "maj7" = I and IV in major keys; III, VI in minor keys
3. minor triad with minor 7th = "m7" = ii, vi, iii in major keys; iv in minor key
4. minor triad with major 7th = "m(maj7)" = i in minor key (the rarest type)
5. diminished triad with minor 7th = "m7b5", or "half-diminished" = vii in major, ii in minor
6. diminished triad with diminished 7th = "dim7", or "full diminished" = vii in minor (harmonic minor)

[Dalegreen]

Originally Posted by T1mothy

you know major scales are just easy. First second third fourth fifth sixth seventh. But how do I detect seventh note of G minor when there are 3 sorts of minor scales that vary in the sixth and seventh note? (natural, harmonic, melodic)
Thank you
Timothy

you missed the jazz melodic minor ( same as the melodic minor ascending, but when descending keep the 6th and 7th raised)

[Hotspur]

Originally Posted by T1mothy

you know major scales are just easy. First second third fourth fifth sixth seventh. But how do I detect seventh note of G minor when there are 3 sorts of minor scales that vary in the sixth and seventh note? (natural, harmonic, melodic)

Well, the thing is, ultimately you're going to want to learn how to recognize those three four notes (b6, 6, b7 and 7) in a minor context, and it doesn't matter which scale they're from.

Because it's not like even in a "natural minor" song you'll never see the b7.

Remember, you always have access to all 12 notes. You might be a b7 in a major song ... that doesn't mean there's a new scale.

Personally, I think that most guitarists are tripped up by the concepts of melodic and harmonic minor, when it's easier and clearer to think in terms of accidentals, and just know that you use a natural 7 under a V chord in the minor scale most of the time.

Of course, that requires that you be able to hear this stuff, and I think that "different scales" is a short cut that a lot of young guitarists use to get around that.

Also what is the difference between major 7th, minor 7th and 7th chord?

Major 7th chord has a major third and a major 7th.
Minor 7th chord has a minor third and a minor 7th.
7th chord has a major third and a minor 7th.

THere's also the minMaj chord, which is pretty rare, but has a minor third and major 7th. Written CminMaj7.

Jazz players will also run into the half-diminished 7th chord, also called the minor-7th-flat-five.

This has a minor third, a minor 7th, and a flat fifth.

And, of course, there's the full diminished 7th chord, which is also rare:

That has a minor third, flat five, and a diminished 7th. (A diminished 7th is a half step flatted than a minor 7th).

But in practice the first three are all that most non-jazz players will usually run in to.

[T1mothy]

Thank you very much. Some detailed info here. I appreciate it. Lots to absorb. Thank you again.